Michel Roussin
Encyclopedia
Michel Roussin was the chief of staff of Alexandre de Marenches
, who directed the SDECE French secret service
until the May 1981 election of François Mitterrand
as President of France
. Michel Roussin has also been chief of staff of Jacques Chirac
when he was mayor of Paris
and also when he was prime minister.
Roussin then became minister of cooperation under Edouard Balladur
's government. However, he had to resign, in accordance with the so-called Balladur jurisprudence
because of suspected involvement in various affairs concerning the illegal funding of Chirac's Rally for the Republic
(RPR) party. Jailed for a time, Roussin was afterwards acquitted. However, on October 26, 2005, he was condemned to four years of prison on probation and a 50,000 EUR fine for his role in the corruption affair concerning high schools in the Paris region
.
Named to the direction of SAE International
, a construction firm linked to Paribas bank, Roussin in 1997 followed this function with his presidency of the Africa committee of the MEDEF, the French employers organization; the francophonie delegation at Paris's municipal hall. He also presented himself as candidate to the presidency of the Elf Aquitaine
oil company. Roussin is also allegedly a member of the masonic lodge Grande Loge Nationale Française
(GLNF).
Alexandre de Marenches
Count Alexandre de Marenches was a French military officer.During the Second World War, Count de Marenches was aide de camp to General Juin...
, who directed the SDECE French secret service
Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage
The Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage was France's external intelligence agency from 6 November 1944 to 2 April 1982 when it was replaced by the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure...
until the May 1981 election of François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
as President of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Michel Roussin has also been chief of staff of Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
when he was mayor of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and also when he was prime minister.
Roussin then became minister of cooperation under Edouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
's government. However, he had to resign, in accordance with the so-called Balladur jurisprudence
Balladur jurisprudence
The "Balladur jurisprudence," named after former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, is an unwritten rule according to which a member of the French government who has been indicted in a judicial affair should resign from his functions...
because of suspected involvement in various affairs concerning the illegal funding of Chirac's Rally for the Republic
Rally for the Republic
The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
(RPR) party. Jailed for a time, Roussin was afterwards acquitted. However, on October 26, 2005, he was condemned to four years of prison on probation and a 50,000 EUR fine for his role in the corruption affair concerning high schools in the Paris region
Corruption scandals in the Paris region
In the 1980s and 1990s there were, in the Paris region , multiple instances of alleged and proved political corruption cases, as well as cases of abuse of public money and resources...
.
Named to the direction of SAE International
SAE International
SAE International is an organization for engineering professionals in the aerospace, automotive, and commercial vehicle industries. The Society is a standards development organization for the engineering of powered vehicles of all kinds, including cars, trucks, boats, aircraft, and others.SAE...
, a construction firm linked to Paribas bank, Roussin in 1997 followed this function with his presidency of the Africa committee of the MEDEF, the French employers organization; the francophonie delegation at Paris's municipal hall. He also presented himself as candidate to the presidency of the Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine
Elf Aquitaine was a French oil company which merged with TotalFina to form TotalFinaElf. The new company changed its name to Total in 2003...
oil company. Roussin is also allegedly a member of the masonic lodge Grande Loge Nationale Française
Grande Loge Nationale Française
The Grande Loge Nationale Française is a French Masonic Grand Lodge. It was founded in 1913, by two lodges, "Le Centre des Amis" Lodge splitting from the larger and older Grand Orient de France and "L'Anglaise" lodge, an independent lodge based in Bordeaux...
(GLNF).
Timeline
- 1972-76: Military commander at the Hôtel MatignonHôtel MatignonThe Hôtel Matignon is the official residence of the Prime Minister of France. It is located in the VIIe arrondissement of Paris, France.The address of Hotel Matignon is 57 rue de Varenne, Paris, France.-History:...
, residency of prime minister Jacques ChiracJacques ChiracJacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
. - 1977-81: Chief of staff of Alexandre de MarenchesAlexandre de MarenchesCount Alexandre de Marenches was a French military officer.During the Second World War, Count de Marenches was aide de camp to General Juin...
at the SDECEService de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-EspionnageThe Service de Documentation Extérieure et de Contre-Espionnage was France's external intelligence agency from 6 November 1944 to 2 April 1982 when it was replaced by the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure...
. - 1983: Worked for the president of the Compagnie Générale des EauxCompagnie Générale des EauxCompagnie Générale des Eaux was a French multinational company which gave birth to three world's leaders in their respective fields: VINCI, Veolia Environnement and Vivendi....
- 1984-86: Chief of staff of Jacques Chirac at the Paris municipal hall and then at Matignon
- 1993-94: Minister of cooperation under Edouard BalladurÉdouard BalladurÉdouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
's government. - 1994: Investigated in the frame of the "Jean-Claude Méry affair". He resigns from his ministerial functions, but is then acquitted.
- 1996: President of SAE International, a subsidiary of the EiffageEiffage-History:The company was formed in 1992 through the merger of several companies: Fougerolle , Quillery , Beugnet , and La Societe Auxiliaire d' Enterprises Electriques et de Travaux Public, better known as SAE .-Major projects:Recent projects have included the Channel Tunnel completed in 1994, the...
group. He is charged of a special committee on Africa by the Medef's direction. - 1999: Death of Jean-Claude Méry.
- 2000: Daily newspaper Le MondeLe MondeLe Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
publish the integral content of Jean-Claude Méry's posthumous videocassette, in which Jean-Claude Méry, member of the executive committee of the RPR party, declared having given 5 million francs in cash to Michel Roussin, then Chirac's chief of staff, "in the presence of Mr. Chirac". Investigative magistrate Eric HalphenÉric HalphenÉric Halphen is a French judge best known as the investigating magistrate in the Parisian low-cost housing scandals of the 1990s.- Timeline :...
would convoque on these grounds president Chirac as witness in March 2001.
External links
quick bibliography by the Voltaire NetworkVoltaire Network
The Réseau Voltaire is an international non-profit organisation, based in Paris. It stated aim is the promotion of freedom and secularism , that is separation of church and state, faith and politics...